The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-02-10
A Letter From Birmingham.

for this answer to numerous inquiries
which are coming to me every mail since
my location in this city. The claims of
my business are such upon my attention
that find it impossible to indulge my.
self in the pleasure of replying to each
of the interrogatories individually.
They have come from spectators, mcr.
chants, mechanics, railroad men and
common laLorers sail desiring informa.
ton; and I hope that this general letter
will be comprehensive enough and
responsive enough to give each and all
ofthe inqurera the desired information.
TO begin, then, may say that the city
Of Birmingham is the most remarkable
anil rapidly growing city in the world,
both in population, in wealth and in
newly inaugurated industrial enterprises.
As an evidence Of this, will cite a few
facts, that, without comment mine will
satisfy the most skep:icaI dnub!er that
do not indulge in the language of exag-
geration when assert the broad propo-
sition above stated: In the year 1880,
Birmingham bad a population of 1900;
in 1854, q population of Il 800; in 1855,
population of 2l,SF in 1856, 4 popu-
lation Of $4,000; and now population
of about 10000 The value Of taxable
property in Jefferson County in 1880 was
only So. PIG, ,374, willie in 1856, as shown
by Tax Receivers returns. this value had
increased TO sll,079,G19. Since this
assessment WAS made at least S6,000,O 900
or $77,500,00O has been added to the
wealth of the County-the very large
majority Of which has been invested in
Birmingham and its immediate vicinity.
Capital has come 10 the city in larger.
proportion to population than has ever
before been known in the history of city
building. There are IL large number of
immense manufacturing establishments,
consisting of furnaces, rolling mills,
foundrics, iron and steel works, wood
works of al! kinds, furniture factories ;
and, indeed, every conceivable sort of
similar enterprise. There is a rapidly
growing wholesale trade in every depart
ment OF commerce which is destined to
be immensely increased in very few
months, upon the completion Of the
Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham
Railroad, the Georgia Pacific, westward
to Columbus, Mississippi, the Gaodwater
extension Of the Georgia Central, and
the Mobile and Birmingham connection.
Retail merchants in every line do 4
magnificent and profitable business.
Employed in the various foundries,
furnaces, workshops aud other wage pay.
ing establishments, there are fully fifteen
thousand male adult laborers in the Bir.
mnglam District.
There is q steady demand fur carpcn-
ters, brick masons, and all sorts of
laborcrs who can assist in house building.
Thousands of houses are gning up and
more will be started in the spring.
AS to wages, brick masons are paid
from :275 to 1915 per day; carpenters,
$500 to $500; stone cutters, 50 25 to
1913; plastcrcrs, sl.75 to 1925; pain
ters, @l50 to s2.25; tiuners, Sl.25 TO
So 33.225; teamstcrs, s2 so to SO 90; day
laborers. $l.00. There is a splendid call
for frst.class domestic scrvants-but only
first class arc wanted.
Labor is paid oil every Saturday night
in cash--a consideration Of Importance
alike to the retail dealer and the laborer
himself.
In few words I may coincide By
rcmarking that the coal, iron and lime
stone fields produce their three hundred
and twelve crops psr annum, aud these
60 daily on the market TO be converted
into cash to pay each week the wages Of
the producer. Ours is . very different
system from that Of the cotton country,
where the whole year is consumed in
producing and gathering aud selling the
crop, aud landlord aud laborer have alike
TO wait through weary months To secure
their compensation.
We need mere hotels and boarding
houses; and this want is due to the fact
that immense !hrongs Of people are COM
lug into the city Upon every train, either
to invest their money or tc cast their lot:
with orr growing and famously prosperous
community.
One other thing may be mentioned,
while property is now selling here at
what persons from abroad regard as labu.
lous prices-and, indeed, the prices have
advanced hundreds of per cent. in the
last six monlhs-neyertheless, | can most
confidently predict that by midsummer
every lot in The city will have doubled it:
value To lis owners.
Trust my word fori it that when ! state
that at least 100000 in actual cash is
paid out in this city every Saturday
afternoon to employees, that | rather
under estimate than cxaggerate the fact
as it really exists Nearly all this money
is spent here for the various supple;
which are reedcd by thasc working pco
pic and their families.
During this spring, summer and fail,
know Of contemplated building enter
prises which Will surpass in extent al
those that have been completed in tht
last three years. These movements art
made 10 meet an actual demand whicl
an ever increasing population render:
steady: and investments OF this sort vii
assume to capitalists the landsomes
dividends while il will afford the workin:
classes comfortable and comparatirel,
cheap homes. II is a wcll.known fac